Cook Like A Rock Star 125 Recipes, Lessons, and Culinary Secrets – Anne Burrell

Cook Like A Rock Star 125 Recipes, Lessons, and Culinary Secrets – Anne Burrell
with Suzanne Lenzer
Foreword by Mario Batali
Clarkson Potter/Publishers, New York


Cook Like A Rock Star - Anne Burrell

I have been watching Anne Burrell on the Food Network since her first season of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and enjoy watching her as co-host of Worst Cooks in America and as Mario Batali's Sous Chef on Iron Chef America. The recipes in this cookbook look delicious and Chef Anne Burrell breaks things down to simplicity so the home cook is comfortable making these dishes no matter the level of cooking expertise. Chef Anne's vibrant and colorful personality is captured perfectly in this cookbook and the recipes are just like her exciting and beautiful.

Cook Like A Rock Star is divided into six sections: Piccolini (a.k.a. my little nibbles), Firsts (the introduction), Pasta (my passion), Seconds (the main event), Sides (the sparkle factor) and Desserts (my sweeties!). The cookbook starts with a six-page Introduction, and a list of Chef Anne Burrell's favorite tools, basic pantry must haves and a breakdown of terms and Anne-isms necessary to follow the recipes. It's very easy trust me! The pictures are beautiful and I love that Chef Anne Burrell takes the time to offer great cooking tips and techniques from her many years of cooking experience and expertise. Chef Anne loves bacon and it shows in many of the recipes that feature a love for all things pig. For days when you want to stray away from meat there are many vegetarian recipes as well to indulge in.

I recently saw Chef Anne make Zucchini & Parm Fritters on The Chew and it is one of the recipes in the Piccolini section. There are many scrumpous looking recipes to make here great for entertaining with friends, family or with your significant other. These small bites look divine, such as Polpettini (Yummy Little Meatballs), Sausage & Pancetta Stuffed Mushrooms, Grilled Corn, Bacon & Chili Crostini, Truffeled Deviled Eggs, Cipolline Tempura With Aïoli, and White Bean Purée With Prosciutto.

Firsts features appetizers and there are a variety of delectable recipes to choose. The recipes are diverse and look delicious, such as Grilled Pizzetta With Stracchino, Sausage, Arugula & Chili Oil, Grilled Porcini With Poached Egg & Parmigiano, Spiced Chickpea Soup With Crispy, Crunchy Croutons, Pumpkin Soup With Allspice Whipped Cream & Fried Leeks, Roasted Beet & Many-Herb Salad, and My Big Fat Chicken Soup. Is your mouth watering already or what?


Chef Anne Burrell

Pasta is of course my favorite chapter in this cookbook and it is Chef Anne's passion. The first thing the chapter starts out with is Chef Anne's All-Purpose Pasta Dough and Whole Wheat Pasta. All the recipes look amazing but I really look forward to making Spag & Excellent "Meatbawls," Chef Anne's Light-As-A-Cloud Gnocchi, Sweet & Spicy Sausage Ragú, Pasta Carbonara, Pasta Fagioli, Buccatini All'Amatriciana, Wild Mushroom Ragú, Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe Pesto & Sausage, Chef Anne's Risotto – Without-A-Recipe and Killer Mac & Cheese With Bacon.

Seconds features main course recipes and I hope to make every one of them within the next year. Some choice picks to try are Polpetti Burgers, Chicken Thighs With Mushrooms & Almond Purée, Pork Milanese & Escarole Salad With Pickled Red Onions, Hazelnuts & Pecorino, Cheater's Duck Confit & Bitter Greens, Braised Lamb Shanks, Seared Red Snapper With Sicilian Cauliflower & Parsley Salad, Dry Rubbed Bone-In Rib Eye (Just Good Stuff), and Halibut In Paper With Yummy Summer Veg.

Sides are a special part of every meal and Chef Anne has a lovely selection that pair wonderfully with the other recipes in this cookbook. I am excited to make her Cannelini Beans With Pancetta & Rosemary, Spice-Roasted Cauliflower & Jerusalem Artichokes, Stewed Zucchini With Tomatoes, Oregano & Pine Nuts, Sweet Potato & Apple Hash, Chanterelles, Fava Beans & Spring Onions and Crispy Crunchy Duck Fat Potatoes.

The final chapter Desserts has 14 recipes that will compliment your dinner party or satisfy your sweet tooth any day of the week. The recipes I am compelled to make are Hazelnut Cake With Nutella Mousse, Zeppole & Chocolate Dipper, Strawberry-Raspberry Shortcakes, Lemon Curd Tart With Almond Crust, Blueberry Nectarine Crisp, Juicy, Jammy, Jelly Tart and Apple & Olive Cake With Sautéed Apples & Mascarpone.

My thought on Cook Like A Rock Star is that is a kick-ass cookbook coming from a culinary rock star. I fully recommend Chef Anne's debut cookbook and really look forward to cooking with her in my kitchen. Thanks hubster for buying me this! Love It.

For more information on Chef Anne Burrell, check out:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/anne-burrell/index.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/secrets-of-a-restaurant-chef/index.html

-Sophia/Two Frys